In the field of golf, it is well known that there are many ways of transporting golf clubs while playing. To this extent, it is also well known that most players of the game have a set of clubs for use in different situations and, more particularly, different distances to the hole. Most golfers keep their golf clubs and other miscellaneous accessories in a golf bag which is carried over the shoulder, on a pull-type golf cart, or on a motorized golf cart also used for transporting golfers.
To many golfers, exercise is a desired benefit of playing the game. Therefore, the latter-mentioned method of transporting golf clubs may not be desirable for all golfers. In the other two typical methods, the golfer must exercise to a greater extent to move from one shot to the next but at the same time is faced with the awkward task of either carrying the golf bag, pushing it in front of him/her, or pulling it behind him/her.
Other devices have been produced to carry golf clubs or other items while still providing the benefit of exercise. Still other devices have been produced for trailering selected articles without the benefit of physical exercise. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,827,613 M. C. Meyer Aug 6, 1974 4,371,184 D. J. Henden, et al. Feb 1, 1983 4,431,205 J. M. Speecher, et al. Feb 14, 1984 4,759,559 L. A. Moulton Jul 26, 1988 4,770,326 C. A. Thompson Sep 13, 1988 4,848,504 J. H. Olson Jul 18, 1989 5,005,847 E. L. King, et al. Apr 9, 1991 5,020,813 P. J. Gottschalk Jun 4, 1991 5,098,113 E. E. Albitre Mar 24, 1992 5,232,065 J. T. Cotton Aug 3, 1993 ______________________________________
Of these devices, those disclosed by Henden, et al. ('184); King, et al. ('847); Gottschalk ('813); and Albitre ('113) are wheeled devices which may be secured to the seat post of a bicycle and pulled as the bicycle is ridden. Specifically, the '184 and '113 patents are directed toward a trailer for carrying unspecified items. The '847 device is particularly suited for carrying fishing paraphernalia and the '813 device is particularly suited for carrying children or other cargo.
The '326 device disclosed by Thompson is securable to a bicycle and is provided with a plurality of tubes, each for receiving the shaft of a golf club. However, the '326 device does not provide for the carrying of a conventional golf bag.
Those devices disclosed by Olson ('504) and Cotton ('065) are directed toward motorized attachments or conversion units for transporting conventional pull-type golf carts. The '504 device further provides a platform upon which the golfer may stand when the device is being operated, thus providing transportation for the golfer as well as the clubs.
The remaining devices teach the notion of transporting a conventional golf bag while riding a bicycle or similar device. The '613 device taught by Meyer is a rack which is secured to a bicycle and which is configured to receive the golf bag for transport. The '205 device taught by Speicher, et al., is a three-wheeled, man-powered golf cart provided with a bracket for supporting the golf bag and a strap for securing the golf bag to the golf cart. Finally, the '559 device taught by Moulton is a trailer for being secured to a bicycle and for carrying any selected article of a particular maximum size and weight. Specifically illustrated by Moulton in one embodiment is the use of the device for carrying a golf bag. However, the device is clearly not limited to this use. Further, Moulton does not disclose any means for securing the golf bag to the carrier, thus apparently allowing for the golf bag to fall out of the carrier if the carrier is tilted to an extreme or if the carrier is driven over a substantial bump or hole.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means for pulling a pull-type golf cart under the motivation of a conventional bicycle.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a means which may be adapted to be secured between the frame of any conventional pull-type golf cart and any conventional bicycle.